As a result of last weekend’s efforts against Ne****tle, we have 2 of our major stars missing. Sessegnon and Cattermole got stuck in last weekend, and obviously suffered for it – but the fans surely appreciated their commitment - we have not seen that side of Sess before. I am against violence on the pitch, and both of them will miss the FA Cup quarter-final trip to Everton, but of more immediate concern is the important league game against Liverpool tomorrow.
As mentioned previously in this blog, both these talented players are hard to replace, and represent the spirit of Sunderland, but I am sure about two things – Martin O’Neill has a plan, and that the rest of the team will surely rise to the challenge of trying to squeeze out a win over Liverpool.
We have a horrible record against these particular Merseysiders, aside from a beachball or two and last season lost 2-0 at the SSOL, with Suarez starring. OK, we are in Dalglish’s eyes essentially Man. Utd., with Bardsley, O’Shea, Richardson (if he is fit), Brown and Campbell, but we urgently need to get some more points on the board after 3 games without a win.
Had we held on for 1-0 in last week's game for our first clean sheet in a Tyne-Wear derby since 1990, we would be sitting on 8th spot in the Premiership on 36 points. As it is, we are in 12th on 34 points, especially after Fulham’s 5-0 win over Wolves. We have gone 3 games without a win now and need some more points on the board.
Make no mistake, this is an important match and we need to rediscover the spirit of the win over Man. City when we took that late chance through Ji Dong-Won. I personally hope Wickham plays a part, and that we don’t give Liverpool the respect they wish to have.
Liverpool are not on a great run, and I am sure Andy Carroll will be up for it if selected, but Dalglish’s "minus £15 million signing" seems to have been found out a bit this season, blowing hot and cold. I fancy the 3 points tomorrow, with a typically modest interview from Martin O’Neill after the game giving credit to the players. 1-0 would do fine...
©Lars J.S. Knutsen
Comments
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Posted by JD on 03/10/2012
Lars,
I must confess that I am not a Sunderland fan, but I am a huge fan of your blog. Your posts are some of the most methodically thought out and logical that I have read. Unlike some, you do not take pride in bashing other teams, in spite of your obvious hatred of Newc***tle :). Thanks for a quality and incisive read of matches.
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Posted by vulegbo on 03/10/2012
u may fancy d 3 points bt nt against d reds
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Posted by Lars Knutsen on 03/10/2012
Hi JD - really appreciate your comment to my posts. As football fans we are all biased, of course, but there is always something good about the opposition, even though they may hide it well!
Just saw the team news. Sunderland bring in Bridge for a first start in place of Richardson and Colback takes Catts' place, with our new England striker Campbell filling in for Sessegnon, who will be watching from the stands. We feature: Mignolet, Bardsley, O'Shea, Turner, Bridge, Larsson, Colback, Gardner, McClean, Bendtner, Campbell. Subs: Gordon, Wickham, Kilgallon, Vaughan, Meyler, Kyrgiakos, Elmohamady.
Liverpool typically feature Bellamy in away games for his pace on the break, Carroll is on the bench but with Kuyt and Suarez, this is an attacking lie-up: Reina, Kelly, Skrtel, Coates, Jose Enrique, Kuyt, Henderson, Adam, Spearing, Bellamy, Suarez. Subs: Doni, Gerrard, Carroll, Maxi, Downing, Carragher, Flanagan.
Referee is Anthony Taylor (Cheshire)
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Posted by mike on 03/10/2012
Liverpool were abysmal today,deserved to lose and are now in their proper place in the table, lucky 7 perhaps not for Liverpool but when they continue to play the very poor Adam, very average Henderson, little support for Suarez when in opponents box, bench added little other than Gerrard who is far from his best.
Really poor singnings have put Liverpool where they currently deserve, out with Adam, Henderson no more than sub likewise Carroll, Downing needs improving, hopefully summer signings of a top class striker, attacking midfielder and winger. Like the idea of buying British players but really we know from the England team, are there really any world class players that are British? Maybe in time Bale, Rooney on a good day but they are few and far between.
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Lars Knutsen was born in Sunderland of Norwegian parents across the Wear from the SSOL back when shipbuilding not car manufacture was the city’s main industry. His first game was in 1968 and he has followed the Black Cats since then, with great memories of the 1973 FA Cup. He hopes the “yo-yo” days are over and defines supporting a team by whether the result affects your mood (but maybe not in the way portrayed in the book “Fever Pitch”!) so has been cheerful recently. He endured school in Newc**tle, has a Ph.D. in Chemistry, a Professorship at Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia, and works in the Pharma industry as a consultant Medicinal Chemist.
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